Happy Halloween

Halloween...one of my favorite holidays, probably more so because it takes place during my favorite season.
We had just over 100 Trick-or-Treaters this year, which is a high for us (particularly coming from our Chicago high-rise days!)...and we made pizza, cocktails and of course a baby bottle and enjoyed the thrill of the night!
 
Below are photos of our family fun as we celebrated Miss L's 1st Halloween!!

Tired "sweet pea" after our Baby Storytime at the Library

The not-so-friendly welcoming team!

All Tuckered out after photos and more photos!



Peek-a-Boo



She is handing out smiles for the trick-or-treaters

One of Jeremy's three artfully crafted pumpkins

And a Happy Halloween it was!

Pumpkin Fingers

We carved our pumpkins tonight. Jeremy, meticulous as ever, from the thoughtful design to the flawless execution...this probably does not come as a surprise to anyone! Me, the ultimate multi-tasker trying to handle Miss L while finishing some details on my first pumpkin...only to have to get through the second pumpkin fast enough while she is happy in her swing. Pictures below...

No matter how you carve 'em, your fingers to your elbows end up getting pumpkin 'goo' all over them. This is when the blog title "Modern Family" truly kicks in high gear...as we thoroughly enjoy the benefits of our modern kitchen with the Delta touch faucet. That is right, touch it on...touch it off. You can use your elbow, a finger tip, etc. to turn on the water to wash your dirty, pumpkin fingers.

Although a bit pricier than the standard kitchen faucet, the convenience has paid for itself over and over again! Cleaning your hands after handling raw chicken...piece of cake. Rinsing your hands while holding dear baby...easy! Even Mr. Cole can touch it on/off with his paw (we tried it with him)!!

Pre-backsplash photo of kitchen with new granite and faucet

Playmat Envy

When registering for baby items...it is downright overwhelming. The aisles of BRU (babies r'us) are endless and even after reading Baby 411 Baby Registering, I still felt clueless. Well, I am quickly learning that I made the right decision on a few key items, specifically, the activity playmat.

This weekend we hosted our new baby friends and moms from our (mom and baby) class for a fun, lil' Halloween-themed get together. (photos to follow in another post) I left out a few toys for all to use with their lil' ones...such as the bumbo seat and the activity playmat. I really had no idea how "good" this play mat was until other new moms say how envious they are. Ours is the Fisher Price Deluxe Mobile Musical Gym (sold at Target). It has a rotating mobile, music and LIGHTS!! Miss L loves the lights...as did the other lil' babes joining her on the mat.

In fact, one new mom went to Target and purchased it that afternoon!! Anyone in the market should seriously consider this one below.

Fall Festivities

Today was a jam-packed, fun-filled day for the family. We kick-started the day by hosting some friends from our mommy and baby class for a little GTG...Halloween themed. Lots of people brought treats and 7 of us moms and infants sat around playing, talking and digressing over coffee cake and mimosas. Fun was had by all and it was really neat to see how much the babies had grown in the month since class ended.

Following the party, the 3 of us went to the area pumpkin patch to carefully select a few carve-worthy pumpkins. Little Miss L slept through the entire experience, so no real photos were snapped...however, we enjoyed the fall family time together. Below is a photo of Miss L in her candy corn outfit as we were finishing up our trip (she was ready to be home!)

Last activity of the day was the Wings vs. Wild hockey game...her first Wings game! She did awesome...chilling mostly in her Baby Bjorn and absolutely was captivated by the lights and activities on the ice. A friend even got us into the Club level seats, which were really nicely located and a bit separated from teh masses. One thing is for certain - if we got a $1 for everytime someone commented that "she's a doll," we really wouldn't have to worry about funding the college education.

Time for bed as tomorrow = breakfast of pumpkin pancakes and mimosas (leftover champagne), football, carving pumpkins and getting ready for the week to start all over again.

Our lil' Candy Corn

First Wings Game

Fall's Second Wind

Just as we're ready to unpack our parka, boots with the fur and ice scrapers...(because afterall it is November on Tuesday and I read in Mnpls Monthly that November = Winter here, sadly enough), we are blessed by God's beauty with a second round of jewel toned leaves on maple trees everywhere! I can't walk outside my door and not see TONS of them! I am in love (with fall of course!).

Here are a couple of pics on a recent walk through the neighborhood...

The Left Behind Grocery Log

After visiting two grocery stores yesterday, I came home, fed the baby and then put away the plethora of bags of groceries. I was slightly confused when I couldn't find the brand new pack of baby wipes I bought at one of the stores. I re-checked my car for a missing bag...nothing!

I then thought that perhaps I forgot to put in the belt to be rung up...afterall Miss L was crying from being overly-ready for a nap. Nope, it's right there on my receipt. Along with 2 bags of snickers and some lunch meat...all items that never initially stepped foot in my kitchen.

I called the store today, sure enough the customer service rep checked the "left grocery log." This made me giggle...they actually have this problem enough to have to keep a log!! Apparently, there are many other moms of screaming children that rush out of the check out lane like the gunshot just began the Indy 500! To my delight, my MIA bag of goodies was logged with items put away (particularly the lunch meat.) It's my lucky day!! Now I just need to find time to stop in and re-claim my items...

So next time you think you've lost your marbles because you can't find your grocery purchase...call the store...maybe they, too, have a log for MIA groceries.

Traveling with a Baby

Earlier this month, we took a total of three flights on our "Tour of the Midwest," to introduce our baby girl to dear friends and family in Indy and MI. This flying with a newborn thing can make flying (er...traveling) quite complex. With that said, infants under 2 fly free...just like my bags on Southwest! So...we can plan to fly as often as we can between now and August 2013. Miss L was born to be a jet setter! In fact, we "may" have a trip in the more immediate future to sunny Scottsdale, AZ for a quick weekend getaway, which made me think of posting tips and helpful hints for traveling with baby.

Packing list:

• 2 blankets (in case one is used during a "blow out moment" - I know from experience)
• Extra pacifier (in case it drops on the airplane floor) or you can purchase Arm & Hammer pacifier disinfectant wipes...they can be used on anything put in the mouth
• A ziploc bag (gallon size) and plastic grocery bag to use for dirty clothes, bibs, cloths, etc.

Suggestions:

• First of all, flying with baby should probably take place after the initial vaccinations (typically 8-weeks). Even adult immune systems take a beating during air travel, imagine the wee little ones!
• Nursing or using a bottle to feed on the take-off and descent is definitely helpful in easing baby's ear adjustments to the cabin pressure
• A Baby Bjorn or carrier is a great way to walk through the airport and keep lil' one comfortable and perhaps even intrigued by the new sights
• A breast pump that uses batteries is extremely helpful in car rides - enabling moms to pump, then bottle-feed baby while the car is still moving - no need to stop at a rest stop for 45 minutes to feed

Here is a photo of Miss L's first flight, she slept most of the duration of the flight...

Thank you Southwest for letting us select our seats, we had the row to ourselves!

Top 5 Favorite New Baby Finds

After 11 weeks of parenthood, we've definitely discovered new items that we wish we would've known about when registering for baby items...and items we thought we would use but rarely find them functional in our world. Tonight, I thought I would highlight our top five favorite items (acknowledging most of them were new discovereis post-birth that make our life easier, happier or healthier!)

5. My Brest Friend - a nursing pillow. The "boppy" is most common for this tool on the market and we did receive a boppy, however, after one visit to the Lactation Consultant, we quickly learned the benefits of "My Brest Friend" are plentiful - the back support, curve on the front pillow and the nice little pocket is super handy.

4. A Diaper Caddy - we have two from JJ Cole- but this is our favorite style - the drawer pulls out and is great for storing diaper rash ointment and misc. supplies, the top fits every wipes container and the back stores the diapers...plus it has a convenient pull out mat to change Miss L on in our living room.

3. Toys - yes, we have plenty of toys...but these "Lamaze" toys are all the rage. This one pictured below is ours and has a backside of black and white pattern (which she loves), the wings make a crinkle and crunchy sound, there is a mirror, and lots of other attiributes to stimulate the young, ever-growing mind. A fellow mommy-cousin of ours gifted us this.

2. Pacifier Holder - they are difficult to find if the baby uses the "Soothie" brand of pacifiers. A dear friend of mine enlightened me about this brand, "BooginHead," and then gifted us one the following week. We now have two - just in case! Wish we would've had these for our trip as we dashed through MDW, DTW and ORD terminals. Luckily, we never really had a mishap of the paci flying across the luggage-filled halls of the terminal.

1. Sleep Sheep - zzzzz. This one is very important. I learned of the sleep sheep at a friend's baby shower last year, all of the new moms raved about its ability to mimic the sound of mom's heart beat from the womb. New babies are soothed to hear this familiar sound once again. It also has other sounds, two timers and straps to the spindle on the exterior of the crib. Great! But then are world was rocked by the discovery of "Sleep Sheep on the Go!" - this portable version is smaller and can easily be strapped to the car seat or stroller. This worked great for our trip - ride from Indy to Detroit...and the flights. We are very happy to have been recently gifted the mobile version.



"My Brest Friend" nursing pillow



Diaper Caddy by JJ Cole

Lamaze (learning) toys



Pacifier Holder by BooginHead



Sleep Sheep - for the crib and on the go

A Dollar Short and a Day Late

As I mentioned in a previous post, I fell in love with the company "Birch Box," a trendy service that sends a monthly box of sample-size beauty supplies and tools to your mailbox. I discovered this while in Chicago and began sharing this knowledge with a dear friend of mine, Lindsay. We would often sit together on the steps near the Sears Tower with our brown bagged lunches and dream about how we can make money and leave our miserable jobs in the financial services industry. As I had "babies-on-the brain" at the time, I told her, "wouldn't it be great if we could take this concept behind Birch Box and mirror it in a different industry - like baby stuff for moms. Afterall, everyone wants to 'try it before you buy it' when it comes to diaper rash or baby hair care." We both thought the idea had legs, we just didn't have the knowledge or experience to lift it off the ground.

Imagine my bittersweet emotions when I read an article on a new service called "Bluum," which offers exactly what I thought of - monthly box of sample-size goodies for new moms for a $9 per month subscription.

What a great shower gift to pamper a new mom for months to come...when the excitement of congratulatory cards and gifts have long ceased arriving at the front stoop.

Check out the pic below, it looks just like my Birch Box in a previous post.

Pumpkin Passion

Call it a passion, or perhaps an obsession. I have yet to find a pumpkin food item that i don't absolutely love. Pumpkin muffins at Panera Bread, Starbuck's pumpkin loaf and a local favorite back home, a Cakes by Stephanie pumpkin roll. Imagine my delight while grocery shopping at Target yesterday and discovering some new (and not-so-new) seasonal pumpkin items...

• Eggo Pumpkin Spice frozen waffles
• Kellogg Pumpkin Pop Tarts
• Archer Farms (Target house brand) Pumpkin Spice oatmeal
• Archer Farms pumpkin pancake and waffle mix
• Edy's pumpkin ice cream  

This morning we enjoyed the pumpkin pancakes with a bit of cool whip on top...yummo!!

In Love with Fall

I heart fall! This is no secret to my nearest friends and family. I cannot remember where my love affair originates from. It could be the fact that October is my birthday month (yes, an entire month of fun!) and the fact that I was practically raised on a football field...or that my mom loves Halloween and my memories of my parent's fall parties.

Regardless, this is by far, the best time of the year to me. The beginning of football season, sweater weather, bonfires, pumpkin-everything, and crisp-cool air.

For my birthday this year, my dear husband took a (er well-deserved) day off of work to celebrate a day together as a family. We slept in, grabbed breakfast from Panera and then took a scenic fall-colored, road trip to a nearby apple orchard and vineyard. Although Miss L is too young to appreciate the hayrides, corn maze or lil' tractor races...she still was a part of our fun...and we enjoyed envisioning the future fun times to the orchard.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch of apple brats and apple cider...followed by a delicious wine tasting. Le Crescent was my favorite.

Our day concluded with time spent lying on a blanket near the beautiful St. Croix River looking up at the sun-filled sky. Soaking in a day of just the 3 of us...and yet excited for many memories like this to come!

(Photos to come...when we are back to having fast internet again!)

Baby BBQ

Our dear friends in Indianapolis (where we lived for a while) threw us a baby shower this past weekend to welcome Miss L to "the group." The group consists of mostly late 20-early 30-somethings that all live in the north suburbs of Indy -former colleagues of mine from work, former neighbors and friends we have made randomly during our 3-year stint as a Hoosier- all gathering to celebrate the newest member of the group. The funny thing was how vastly different our parties are now, compared to three years ago. The noise volume has risen (and not in the more drinks-more noise kind of way)...because there are nearly as many people under four foot tall as there are adults. No matter how much time passes and how the crowd grows shorter, we always have a fun time.

The hosts of the soiree made the event very pink for our lil' girl and very fall for her mommy! Spiral sliced ham sliders, a fall salad, apple-cheddar melts, pumpkin muffins, carrot cake cupcakes, apple cider, kettle corn and much more made the perfect fall menu. Thanks to the W family for hosting such a special (and thoughtful) party and for the many friends that came to greet us and showered us with such generous presents. I must admit we have already used some of the gifts during our travels to Michigan - adorable outfits and the travel sleep sheep (amazing white noise maker to strap to the car seat = heaven!).

Me, Miss L and Allison - the hostess (with the mostess)

Baby Friends



Miss L and her classmates - 9.29.11

One of the best decisions we made with our little one was to sign-up for the hospital post-baby classes called "Mommy and me" classes. For six weeks, beginning when she was two weeks...we attended weekly classes with other new moms and newborns. Each week a faciliator leads discussions on various topics about newborns and new mommyhood - from sleeping and eating to breastfeeding and bouncing back. The faciliator we had was amazing and just a joy to be around. We have developed some new friendships throughout the six weeks of classes and enjoyed gaining tips and tricks from other new mommies. One week we had a baby show-and-tell (see post below) that allowed us to hear about other cool toys and helpful gadgets. We also have gathered together outside of class to go on organized walks at the mall or around the beautiful lakes here. Later this month, we are hosting a "Baby Halloween Party" at our home (photos to follow).

Regardless of location, I highly recommend other new moms take a class like this at their respective hospital or in their community. It has helped me become a better mom and has created a solid foundation of fun and healthy development for our little one.



Little Luxuries

USA Today is one of my favorite newspapers to read - the articles are clear and concise briefs covering breaking news and pop culture - I look forward to hotel stays just knowing I may have a free copy waiting at my doorstep in the morning.

So, you can imagine my delight in downloading the "USA Today" app on my android phone. During one of those 4am feedings lately, I read a brief article titled "Shoppers indulge in little luxuries."

With the economy (heading) into (yet another) a recession, people are still finding money to spend on a Halloween costume...for their PET! I will admit I am guilty of having purchased at least one costume for Mr. Cole for Halloween in the past, but come'on - he is the "Halloween Kitten" afterall!

The article read true to me, as it described a common shopper behavior of saving their spend on one large luxury item instead of five cheap items. For example, splurge on a $15 manicure or a $40 blow out to add a touch of confidence and feel good flair.

I personally found my own "little luxury" last year when I learned about Birch Box...a monthly subscription of $10 enables me to receive a fun little box filled with samples of trendy beauty supplies. From perfume samples and full sticks of lip gloss to face scrubs and mascara, Birch Box never disappoints. Consumers can get points for receiving the service, but more importantly for logging online after using the products to provide feedback about the products - this information is invaluable data for the manufacturers. It's a win-win for both beauty queens and manufacturers a like!
Here is a photo of one box I rec'd when I was a subscriber (pre-baby budget days)...